What Would Ignatius Do? Grow a Mullet!

Back in the 1990s there were bracelets with the acronym W.W.J.D. They stood for ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ and some young Christians would wear these as a reminder to be Christ-like in their daily lives. It was a move to find God and inspiration to act like Christ in the real and busy world and not just in religious contexts.

I have often thought that it would be great to have W.W.I.D. ‘What Would Ignatius Do?’ bracelets for our Feast Days. At Saint Ignatius College we constantly challenge our students to authentically think and act like St. Ignatius. We often start with love and service in the hope of deepening our College motto amare et servire in our community. Tonight, 147 students, staff, parents and family will sleep out in their backyard for the Junior Vinnies Winter Sleepout. This is a great opportunity to explore loving service for those who face homelessness. But what about other vulnerable people in our community? What about those who face and struggle with mental health every day? Today is also R U OK Day and I wonder, what would St. Ignatius do about mental health? Would he support our students and grow a mullet for mental health?

St. Ignatius would grow a mullet

Anxiety and depression were not unfamiliar to St. Ignatius who, struggled with mental health himself. While living in Manresa, Spain in 1521, St. Ignatius experienced a great period of depression where he struggled to accept and love the person that he was, including his purpose and identity. He struggled to find peace with his past life, as a vain soldier who sought only to be the best at all costs. He struggled to accept that God loved him for who he truly was. He struggled to accept the kindness of the world and retreated to a cave where he no longer cared for himself letting his hair, nails and beard grow uncontrollably and thinking little of food or sleep. St. Ignatius himself refers to this period in his life as the “dark days”.

It was not until a small group of women approached St. Ignatius to ask if he was ok, that he truly understood how destructive his obsessive and critical thoughts were. St. Ignatius tells us in his autobiography that the care and love he received from this support network enabled him to love and value himself once more. It is at this point in the story, that I would like to imagine St. Ignatius re-emerging into the world with his freshly cut hair fashioned into a mullet.

St. Ignatius would reach out

St. Ignatius’ personal experience of struggling with mental health, informed the way he interacted with others and the world around him. After establishing the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1540, St. Ignatius took on an administration role in Rome to coordinate and communicate with Jesuits who were set to work all over Europe and even as far as India. While St. Ignatius may have wanted to join his companions in travelling to these exciting and exotic places, he understood the great importance of communication, of asking are you ok, especially when in far and distance places, isolated from all that is familiar and known.

Through letter writing, St. Ignatius would promote what we have come to call cura personalis, that is, caring for the whole individual, including their mind (mental health and the ability to think), body (physical movement) and soul (our hearts and our ability to love ourselves and others).

St. Ignatius once wrote a letter to a Jesuit ordering him to take better care of his health after learning that he was not eating properly. His ministry and work for others was taking away from the proper care of his body and subsequently his mental health. Ignatius wrote: “For the next three months, from now until September, you are to do no preaching, but are to look after your health.” Ignatius ordered him to follow the doctor’s advice under the vow of obedience. St. Ignatius’ Secretary also used his advice when writing to other Jesuits:

“Even though situations sometimes occur where extra exertion is unavoidable, he should nevertheless not deprive himself of sleep ... What holds for sleep applies also to diet and whatever else is needed for the preservation of health. Moderation has staying power; what puts excessive strain on the body cannot last. Understand, then, that Father General’s mind on this matter is that, in whatever spiritual, academic, or even bodily exertions you undertake ... you should safeguard the health of your own body in order to aid your neighbours; and that in this matter each of you should look out for the other.”

For many Jesuits, St. Ignatius was their support network who loved, championed, cared for and accompanied them through their life giving experiences, as well as daily struggles.

St. Ignatius would challenge us to commit to action

So, what would St. Ignatius REALLY do if he were a part of our community in 2020?

I am sure he would explain that at the very heart of Ignatian Spirituality and the idea of love and service is that selfless service springs forth from love for the other. That if you truly believe that all people are created with dignity, have value and should be respected, then any action towards someone else comes from a place of love, care, empathy and concern for them. He would tell us this is what loving service is. That this is what we hope motivates our students to sleepout in their backyard, ask someone if they are ok, or support mullets for mental health. Then, he would surely do just that: join our sleepout, ask others if they are ok and grow a mullet for the greater glory of God.

Alicia Deak  Ignatian Coordinator and Justice and Service Coordinator